Please notice in our devotional reading for today our key verse is inJudges 17and the extended reading inJudges 16. I do this to reveal that during this time in history, recorded in the book of Judges, the children of Israel were without a king. As our key verse tells us, the Israelites simply did that which "was right in their own eyes."

A thorough reading of Judges will reveal that the actions of the Jews during that time were not in concert with what God wanted for His chosen people, more on that in a moment.

The book of Judges is the record of a number of Judges that the Lord brought to power to rule over His people. Samson was one of those “judges”, in fact, the thirteenth of the “judges”. You can read the account of his life and ministry, and failures, inJudges 14, 15 and 16.

In our extended reading we see the account of the death of Samson. Having been imprisoned, Samson would go to his death victorious. As a Nazarite,Judges 13:5, this judge constantly defiled his “vow of separation” through "fleshly appetites." However, Samson had a mighty faith in the Lord in a time of apostasy, a faith which God honored,Hebrews 11:32.

The story of Samson's death reminds us of his mighty work for the Lord as he gave his own life to defeat the enemies of God. The truth is that Samson actually slew more of God's enemies in his death than he did in his life,Judges 16:30.

We all are human, like Samson, all with fleshly appetites. But the Lord would have us overcome these appetites with our faith and our close walk with Him each day.Please notice once again our key verse,Judges 17:6, and the thought that since Israel had no king, “they did that which they thought was right, in their own sight”. We will see in the next couple of books in the Old Testament that God will give the Jews a “king” because they rejected Him 2,000 years ago.

The Jews are today living in a way that they see "as right in their own eyes." There is no “king” for the Jews today. You must remember that the Jewish people came on the world scene in a “theocracy” with God as their “king”. There will be another Jewish King, in the future.

King Jesus is coming and with the conditions of our world today, it seems that it will be very soon. All of us must be ready because before Jesus returns to the Earth Jesus comes in the “sky” to call all Christians to be with Him at the Rapture, and event that can happen at any moment, even today. .PRAYER THOT: Help me, dear Lord, not to yield to my fleshly appetites, even as I look for You to come and gather me up to be with You forever more.